The Legend Of Zelda - A Link Between Minds
by TheFishPerson
Summary: The Kokiri have fallen after the events of Ocarina of Time. Negotiations are underway but a new force of evil lies hidden amongst the trees of the forest. Featuring fan favourites as well as some new characters, my first FanFic story aims to create a believable new Zelda story!
1. Chapter 1

The Legend of Zelda – A Link Between Minds

Chapter One – Kokiri Fallen

I push the curtains apart to let the morning breeze blow through my hair. From Lon Lon Ranch the castle loomed constantly, casting a massive shadow over the fields. Cows take to the shade on days like this – hot to the point where you can hardly stand. Epona kept knocking on the door, begging me to feed her. Personally, I want to lounge in bed for the remains of the morning and spend the rest of it helping around the ranch. Just as I head back to my lump of hay someone else starts to knock on the door: Malon.

"Um, its breakfast now, sir," she says quietly. I sighed heavily and told her I would be there as quickly as I could. It was very kind of Talon to have us all stay with him during troubled times. Today we were going into the castle walls to have a meeting with the King of Hyrule as to what to do next. We can't all just stay at the ranch for the rest of our lives! I pull on my usual Kokiri robes and head for the main barn. It is lavishly furnished with long tables, wooden chairs and lots of luscious breakfast foods. At first he told us that he stayed up all night cooking everything but we soon found out that he was asleep before we did. Now he tells us that a horse and cart arrives from Castle Town every morning with supplies for everyone. I sit down at the table next to Saria and start eating some bread. I'm not too hungry but I can tell Saria is scared stiff so I need to talk to her.

"How are you?" I ask awkwardly, ripping a chunk out of my stale loaf.

"I'm okay," she murmurs in reply, focusing on her soup. She doesn't eat it, she just watches it swirl around the bowl slowly.

"Excited about finally meeting the King?" I say in a desperate attempt to start a conversation.

"If it means we get to leave, then yes," Saria said bluntly. I look into her eyes but, for the first time since I've known her, I can't decipher why she's so sad today. I think about the temple – did that get burned down too? Surely the goddess would be able to protect it from something so simple. I doubt that would get her this angry. Before I can ask her any further questions the room hushes for the arrival of Impa through the large entrance at the front of the barn. As she does every day, she mounts a box just beside Talons private table and casts her hands over everyone.

"By the power of the goddess walking and the evil that hunts it down, protect these people until this time tomorrow whence I renew this prayer. Bring them not into the passage of evil but keep them tucked in your tender arms." Everyone except me had their heads bowed and were murmuring the words back. Only I know that nothing really happens during the blessing but without the belief that they're safe the Kokiri will die. Years of having old legends drilled into their heads came to pay its toll. Now they believed that, without the forest to protect them, they would all die from exposure to the real world. I've tried to tell them in the past that the field wasn't a place to be afraid of but they don't listen to me. Everybody knows about what happened with Ganondorf – or at least they think they know the truth. Once we returned to my present Zelda and I had to try and fabricate the whole story which was surprisingly simple. All the evil had unravelled in the future so we just had to exploit Ganondorf in front everyone in the kingdom. It still worries me that there is a Zelda out there that is trapped within a world where Ganondorf may still have a grasp over the kingdom.

After everything was cleared away Impa met with the group of us going to the castle by the exit of the ranch. Saria obviously hasn't got any better since breakfast and Mido is still his usual self. Together we've managed to keep the know-it-all brothers from bursting into Hyrule Castle and giving the King a speech. Even around the experts they insist on everything! The others have to ride in the back of Impa's cart however, as a treat, she has retrieved Epona from her paddock. Talon is devoted to caring for everyone's animals which is great other than he gets very protective and doesn't let us get to them very easily. It has been a few weeks since I've been able to ride her: the last being when I had to rush for help the day the village came under attack. I can hardly wait to rush through the vast field once more. Sadly, the route from the ranch to the castle isn't very far but the few minutes we get together are a slice of heaven. I resist letting her paddle in the shallow stream feeding out from the town and simple follow the path. The others melt away other than Saria. Her scowl stands out amongst all the other happy faces. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth as we pull up to the city walls. The drawbridge lowers and we cross into the familiar town.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"What do you mean you're not expecting them? They've come all the way from… well; it wasn't far, but still! They've come because their homes have been destroyed?" Impa bellows to the guard outside the grounds of Hyrule Castle.

"They're not in the book Impa. And if they're not in the book then they are not entering the grounds," says the guard from upon the gates. He leafed through the pages once more with a blank expression. Everyone joined Saria in her glum feeling. I'm determined not to get sucked in with them in their communal feeling sorry for themselves but the situation is definitely quite unique. Part of me reckons that a member of the Sheik probably a lot more powerful than some lanky guard who can hardly read.

"Well I'm sorry, we'd better head back to the ranch then," says Impa scornfully, power walking back towards the town. For a second the rest of us stand in indignation but we quickly realise that we aren't going to get anything done. We saunter back through the town until Impa turns back to face us looking suddenly excited.

"Come with me," she says in a hushed voice. She ran off towards the Temple of Time leaving the rest of us to walk in her wake. We caught up eventually but Impa was nowhere to be seen. Then, out the corner of my eye, I notice her arm beckoning us through a small gap in the brickwork. It struck me as odd that they didn't bother to patch it up again, but I'm not going to complain. One by one we filed into the tiny gap and made our way through the dusty, damp passageway. It opened up into the tower the guard was standing on top of. As ever, as soon as we emerged Impa vanished once more then snatched each of us in turn from behind. I open my eyes and find myself in a large stone temple not dissimilar to the temple of time. The golden markings of the triforce are engraved on the far wall with a large pane of stained glass baring the mark of the Sheikah. We stood without words – in quiet contemplation of the sheer beauty that surrounded us.

"This is the Temple of the Sheikah. We're inside the castle now," she says excitedly. We sit down at the pews and await instructions. Saria still looks as sour as a lemon but now that we're inside I'm not going to let that bother me anymore. After a few minutes the large wooden doors swing open and Princess Zelda enters the chamber, accompanied by two guards who then wait by the door. I'm disappointed not to see the king.

"Thank you for coming this morning. Sorry you had to take the long route but I'm glad you're here now," Zelda says in a very high, sweet voice. It is impossible not to like her. She wears her ceremonious pink robes with the blue satchel I know so well.

"Today we are here to discuss the future of the Kokiri!"

"Are we now?" boomed a deeper, more masculine voice that echoed for a second. It certainly wasn't someone in the room.

"Well, my princess, this is all very sweet however I don't quite believe you're right." The voice came distinctly from the corner of the room. Out from the shadows stepped a figure draped almost completely in black other than the yellow eyes that stood out like a rose among thorns. The guards did nothing to try and stop him. Zelda, meanwhile, was rooted to the spot with fear.

"You see, I quite like the tree the way it is, don't you think?"

"Guards, seize him!" blurted out Zelda. The figure laughed.

"Your guards can't do anything about it, my dear," he cackled as the soldiers melted to the floor as if there was no longer anyone behind their armour. "Besides, this is when all the fun begins!" A long pale arm shot out from within his robes and clenched Zelda by the throat. Before I could do anything they were gone. I couldn't quite believe it – the Princess had been kidnapped right before my eyes. The others burst into a frenzy of panic other than Impa and I. We looked at each other in contrasting emotions: she obviously knew what to do but I didn't have the slightest clue but somehow I knew it had something to do with me saving her. Nobody bothers to go and seek help. We simply attempt to stay put.

"Take good care of her," says the deep voice. Zelda sits in a dark cell trying to make out objects cloaked in the gloom. She doesn't know who this man is, but she knows that the guards certainly aren't friendly. They grin at her with missing teeth and bad breath; they sharpen their axes in case she tries to break out expectantly. She feels for her knife but she left it in her dressing room. Her father had told her never to enter that room and only now did she know why.


End file.
